| CVI dono lepidum nouum
libellum |
1 |
To whom am I to present
my pretty new book, |
| arida modo pumice expolitum? |
2 |
freshly smoothed off with
dry pumice-stone? |
| Corneli, tibi: namque
tu solebas |
3 |
To you, Cornelius: for
you used to think |
| meas esse aliquid putare
nugas |
4 |
that my trifles were worth
something, |
| iam tum, cum ausus es
unus Italorum |
5 |
long ago, when you took
courage, you alone of Italians, |
| omne aeuum tribus explicare
cartis |
6 |
to set forth the whole
history of the world in three volumes, |
| doctis, Iuppiter, et laboriosis. |
7 |
learned volumes, by Jupiter,
and laboriously wrought. |
| quare habe tibi quidquid
hoc libelli |
8 |
So take and keep for your
own this little book, such as it is, |
| qualecumque; quod, patrona
virgo |
9 |
and whatever it is worth;
and may it, O Virgin my patroness, |
| plus uno maneat perenne
saeclo. |
10 |
live and last for more
than one century. |